Politics

European Union: David Cameron has described Brussels as being “too big” and “too bossy” in the wake of the success of eurosceptic parties in elections across Europe. Mr Cameron has also warned his European counterparts that the EU cannot afford to dismiss the election results, urging they seize the “moment for change”.

Nick Clegg: Nick Clegg has reiterated that he will not stand down despite the poor result of the European election for the Liberal Democrats. Meanwhile, Vince Cable has condemned a poll commissioned by a Lib Dem peer that suggested that Mr Clegg could lose his Sheffield Hallam constituency seat in Parliament if he did not stand down.

Independence debate: A report by Barclays has suggested that the “most likely” economic outcome in the event of a Yes vote in September is that Scotland would introduce its own currency, adding that the preferred option of a currency union is “more challenging” than commonly assumed. (Scotsman page 6, Herald page 6, Times page 7)

Chief Treasury minister Danny Alexander is expected to contend that workers would pay more tax within an independent Scotland to cover a “hole in the public finances” of an independent Scotland. (Scotsman page 7)

Equal pay: The gender pay gap has widened over the last four years, according to research commissioned by Labour’s shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran. Campaigners have warned that women are being paid 80p for every pound a man earns. (Herald page 3)

UKIP: Scotland’s newly elected UKIP MEP has called on people to have more children in order to keep down immigration levels; a solution to the country’s ageing population problem. Mr Coburn also described Scotland as “lovely” because it was not “full of people”. (Herald page 6, Sun page 11)

Ian Bell in the Herald comments that Tony Blair’s condemnation of UKIP is a more stately response than those by current party leaders.

Allister Heath in the Telegraph comments on the rise of the anti-political views within the UK.

Social mobility: Bank of England governor Mark Carney has warned over growing inequality and the lack of social mobility within the UK, calling for more to be done to clamp down on scandal-hit financial markets. (Herald page 7)

Iraq War report: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted that he is not the reason for the delay in the publication of the Chilcot Inquiry, which is four years late in delivering its conclusions. (Herald page 7, page 2)

Racial prejudice: A new survey by British Social Attitudes (BSA) has revealed that a quarter of Scots now consider themselves as either “very” or “a little” prejudiced against people of other races. (Courier page 22, Guardian page 1)

Economy

TSB: Lloyds Bank has confirmed that it is to sell a 25 percent stake in its TSB subsidiary next month, with shares being made available to the public to deter “quick buck” seekers. (Scotsman page 30, Terry Murden in the Scotsman, Herald page 23, FT page 15, Sharlene Goff in the FT, Sun page 38)

Health

NHS pressure: Official figures have shown that health boards across Scotland are failing to achieve accident and emergency waiting time targets for patients, with just one authority hitting the benchmark for the first three months of this year. (Scotsman page 10, Times page 1, Courier)

Meanwhile, vacancies for hospital consultants are at a record level, while hospitals are increasingly becoming reliant on agency nurses. (Herald page 1)

Education

Free childcare: SNP ministers have been urged by Labour to publish information about plans for extending free childcare after independence. (Herald page 6)

Reform Scotland

Reform Scotland is a think tank which aims to inform and influence policy debate through robust research, the publication of reports and briefings and by arranging lectures and seminars. It is a charity, independent of any political party, and is funded by donations from individuals, charitable trusts and corporate organisations.